Primitive Carnival (Drake's Venture- the slave Maria and Thomas Doughtie)entropy_houseMay 4 2007, 17:46:56 UTC
Maria sighed, leaned on the port rail and looked up at the stars. Thomas Doughtie paused on his way to fetch a bottle of wine . Normally, he would have sent a servant, but Drake had become increasingly prickly of late whenever Doughtie claimed any of the privileges natural to a gentleman of his estate. Doughtie was more puzzled than irritated by this, as Drake was as great a seeker of court approval as any.
Drake argued that they were at sea, and not at court, but was a gentleman not a gentleman, wherever he might be? Even though Maria was but a dusky slave, brought on board to ease the lusts of Drake and such of his captains and gentleman as he currently favoured, she was still a woman, and it behooved a gentleman to offer her what courtesy he might, so Doughtie paused.
"Is aught amiss, Maria?" he asked.
She looked up at him and smiled. "No more than is common to slaves, master Doughtie." She sighed again.
Doughtie frowned. "Do they ill-use you so very badly, then?"
Maria shook her head, sending the glass beads worked into her braids to tinkling. "It is no more than I expected when I was stolen from my village. But I had not thought to be taken so far away from all I know."
Doughtie patted her shoulder gently. "Ah, then, you miss your family."
She replied softly, "Not only them. I miss the village life. The color. The food. The music. The feast days and celebrations to the gods. I was to wear the Mask of the Maiden this year at Carnival, and dance with my chosen." She sighed, and lightly touched her belly, just beginning to swell. "I have no choice, no chosen now and I know I will surely die soon."
"Nay, speak not so. Only God knows the end of all things." Doughtie smiled at her. She was very pretty, and very forlorn. He took a thin chain of gold from around his neck, and placed it on her. "There. A Carnival gift." He took her hand and kissed it in courtly fashion.
She touched the necklace and turned shining eyes on him. "Would you be my chosen, then? For this one night?"
Doughtie nodded. He had never taken a woman unwilling, nor accepted Drake's offer of her favours, but he could see that Maria wanted him. And her name... so like that of his dead wife, Mary. It was almost as if it was a sign from Heaven. He took her hand. "Yes, my lady, for this one night, you shall be my chosen."
She smiled sadly at him and touched his face. "The Gods will have their sacrifice of us both," she said as she went with him to his cabin.
Drake argued that they were at sea, and not at court, but was a gentleman not a gentleman, wherever he might be? Even though Maria was but a dusky slave, brought on board to ease the lusts of Drake and such of his captains and gentleman as he currently favoured, she was still a woman, and it behooved a gentleman to offer her what courtesy he might, so Doughtie paused.
"Is aught amiss, Maria?" he asked.
She looked up at him and smiled. "No more than is common to slaves, master Doughtie." She sighed again.
Doughtie frowned. "Do they ill-use you so very badly, then?"
Maria shook her head, sending the glass beads worked into her braids to tinkling. "It is no more than I expected when I was stolen from my village. But I had not thought to be taken so far away from all I know."
Doughtie patted her shoulder gently. "Ah, then, you miss your family."
She replied softly, "Not only them. I miss the village life. The color. The food. The music. The feast days and celebrations to the gods. I was to wear the Mask of the Maiden this year at Carnival, and dance with my chosen." She sighed, and lightly touched her belly, just beginning to swell. "I have no choice, no chosen now and I know I will surely die soon."
"Nay, speak not so. Only God knows the end of all things." Doughtie smiled at her. She was very pretty, and very forlorn. He took a thin chain of gold from around his neck, and placed it on her. "There. A Carnival gift." He took her hand and kissed it in courtly fashion.
She touched the necklace and turned shining eyes on him. "Would you be my chosen, then? For this one night?"
Doughtie nodded. He had never taken a woman unwilling, nor accepted Drake's offer of her favours, but he could see that Maria wanted him. And her name... so like that of his dead wife, Mary. It was almost as if it was a sign from Heaven. He took her hand. "Yes, my lady, for this one night, you shall be my chosen."
She smiled sadly at him and touched his face. "The Gods will have their sacrifice of us both," she said as she went with him to his cabin.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment